Device for affixing stamps and labels.



J. J. MODADE.

DEVICE FOR AFPIXING STAMPS AND LABELS.

APPLICATION FILED APB.28, 1910.

1,070,277, Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. J. MUDADE.

DEVICE FOR AFFIXING STAMPS AND LABELS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28, 1910.

77 Patented Aug". 12, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Iflillllllllll lli'u'iiumm Wed. 4L zm/fidz. doll M 0505 JOHN J. MCDADE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

DEVICE FOR AFFIXING- STAMPS AND LABELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Application filed April 28, 1910. Serial No. 558,095.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. MCDADE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the cityand county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Aflixing Stamps and Labels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements made in that class or description of machines for affixing postage stamps in which the stamps are detached one at a time from a. continuous strip on a. line of perforations and are affixed to the articles to be stamped by the operation of a pair of gripping-jaws swinging in an arc and a reciprocating plunger carrying a presser-foot. A machine of that character was patented to me on the 12th day of November, 1895 in Letters Patent of the United States No. 549,650 and itis to that description of machine or device that the present improvements relate.

One feature of the present improvements relates to an improved means or device for controlling the loose end of the strip after a stamp has been detached, whereby the end of the strip is set in position to lie between the gripping jaws, and a sufficient portion or margin on the end will always be entered a fixed and definite distance between the jaws at the moment when the latter close together and seize the strip.

Another feature relates to an improved.

means for regulating the length of the stamp strip projecting from the bed after the stamp has been severed, and comprises the position of the cutter blade below the bed, so that the strip extends a distance from the bed, so that the are described by the end of the strip intersects the are described by the ends of the gripping jaws and leaves a margin of the strip within the path of the gripping jaws.

Another feature relates to an improved means or-device for setting the end of the strip in the path of the jaws and in such position that the jaws cannot fail to seize and grip the strip, not only when the roll on which the strip is wound is at its greatest diameter, but also when the strip is being drawn off the core or central portion of the roll as the diameter of the body becomes reduced under the consumption of the strip;

at which time the loose end of the strip has more or less curl, and is liable to turn down over the edge of the separating blade instead of standing out beyond it.

Another feature of these improvements relates to the means of detaching the stamp from the strip always along the line of perforations that separate one stamp from the next; and the same consists in a novel construction and combination of cutting or detaching blade, and a variable tension device arranged in such position with reference to the swinging gripping jaws that the strip is drawn over the edge of the blade at a sharp angle and at the same time sufficient degree of tension is thrown upon the strip to cause the stamp in the grasp of the jaws to part from the strip along the perforations or along the line of the weakest part, first in the middle and then outwardly toward each edge.

Another feature relates to a novel construction and combination of stationary base having a bed to support and present the envelop or other article to be stamped, and ayielding frame for the stamp-- affixing mechanism having self-adjusting qualities by virtue of which the mechanism is made to accommodate itself and operate on envelops and other packages of different thicknesses without affecting the adjustment of the actuating parts.

Another feature relates to a novel construction of the base to cause an even surface of the filled envelop to be presented to the presser-foot, comprising a. concave depression in the bed below the presser-foot, which permits the irregularities in the thickness of the filled envelop to be accommodated and an even surface presented to the presser-foot.

Another feature is a novel construction of the moistening device consisting of a yield ing frame to hold the upper end of the moistening pad in the path of the outer ends of the swinging jaws and keep it constantly in contact with the gummed side of the stamp.

Another feature is the provision of novel means for controlling the length of the stampstrip extending between the gripping aws. J The improvements embrace further a construction. and combination of stationary base prtn'idcd wit-h a water-containing compartment, and a moistening device for the stamp supplied wit-h water and kept constantly moistened from the same supply.

The invention embraces also certain novel parts and combination of parts producing an improved machine of the character hereinbefore described; all as hereinafter fully explained and pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

The accompanying drawings forming a part thereof represent a construction of machine embodying my said in'iprovements.

Figure 1 represents in side-elevation a machine or device embodying my present improvements. Fig. 2 is an end elevation taken from the left side of Fig. 1 and showing the base partly broken away and the top of the plunger broken off. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the device, parts being shown in elevation. Fig. a is a plan or top view with the plunger removed. Fig. 5 is a plan of the cutting-blade over which the strip is drawn to separate the stamp. Fig. 6 a plan of the lower one of the gripping jaws. Fig. 7 is a side-view in detail of the gripping-jaws, the presser-foot and plunger and the parts that control the loose end of the strip. This figure illustrates the rela tive position of the various parts at the moment when the strip being at its greatest tension over the edge of the cutting blade the stamp is brought against the cuttingblade by the movement of the grippingjaws; the near side of the frame being broken away to uncover the parts within. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through the tension-device and the ciittingblade, and adjacent parts, on an enlarged. scale, showing the relative position of the parts at the moment of detaching the stamp from the strip.

The gripping jaws (ll- 7) are operated by the reciprocating plunger (2, which in its descending stroke first closes the upper jaw (4 upon the lower jaw Z) and then carries the same in an are under the presser-foot (Z, in which movement it draws the strip 29 across and over the edge of the cutting-blade g at a sharp angle, and also across the face of the moisterling-pad h situated just below the blade. At such moment the end of the strip 72 is brought downward and at a sharp angle across the cutting blade and a suflicient degree of resistance to the movement of the strip is produced by the tension-plate 15 situated on one side of the blade to cause the stamp to separate along the weakened line of the perforations by the strain that is applied below or on the opposite side of the blade by the gripping-jaws. The effect of this angular bend or turn over the blade is to insure the stamp being separated always through the line of perforations, whether such line of perforations be brought directly across or coincident with the edge of the blade at the moment of greatest strain, or whether such line of separation be somewhat above the line of the blade. In the present machine, therefore, the stamp is de tached from the strip by being turned sharply over the projecting edge of the blade and pulled directly downward, instead of being cut from the strip. The center 39 on which the jaws swing is situated at proper distance from the stationary bed heneath to let the jaws swing back to a nearly perpendicular position, the extent of which is sufficient to place the stamp under the presser-foot, and allow the lower aw room to open and release the stamp.

The presser-foot (Z is pivotally attached on the lower end of the plunger at t, so that it may tilt and its outer end be caused to make contact with and press upon the end of the strip against the envelop a little in advance of the moment that the opposite end thereof is released from the jaws. The rear'"portion of the presser-foot is dropped down a short distance below the pivot to form a bearing edge 6 which engages with and slides along the upper surface of the upper jaw a. during the downward movement of the plunger. During the downward movement the two jaws al) are held firmly together and caused to rock on the pivot 39. The tilting movement of the presser-foot is effected through a toe-piece s fixed to the presser-foot and extending laterally beyond its rear edge. A spring 43 bears against the top surface of the toe piece to hold the presser foot normally in horizontal position. A hooked end of the toe-piece s enters an elongated slot a in the jaw a and travels therein during the first part of the downward movement of the plunger, and while the jaws retain their grip upon the stamp the jaw frame 38 is being turned on its pivot 39. The toe-piece a is arrested at the end of the slot a thus causing the presser foot to tilt and its outer edge to be pressed down under the action of the plunger. When the presser foot is thus rocked on its pivot, its outer end is forced toward the surface 5 of the base L and operates to clamp the free end of the detached stamp between its outer end and the surface of the envelop. By the still farther downward movement of the plunger 6, the presser foot is caused to rock back on its pivot t and assume a substantially horizontal position, its lower surface lying flat against the stamp and thereby affixing the latter to the -envelop. At the same time the outer ca1nshaped edge 5 of the hook 8 extending through the slot o engages with the upper surface of the jaw b and operates to slightly open the two jaws a-.7) and thereby release the stamp. Thus during the final downward movements of the plunger, the presser-foot is caused to first apply pressure upon the stamp at its front end, when it is tilted, and afterward, by the farther downward movement of the plunger, the stamp is released from the jaws, by reason of the cam s engaging the lower jaw b, and finally the presser-foot is pressed upon the entire body of the stamp.

The jaws a-b are mounted upon a movable frame consisting of two arms 38 pivoted on the fixed bearing 39, arranged between the frame pieces 2. A spring 40 surrounding and fixed to the pin 39 has its free end extending downward or below the jaws, ab as seen in Fig. 7 whereby the latter are normally pressed upward against the presser foot (Z and follow the same in its movements. Mounted between the jaws a-b is a spring 41 tending to hold them normally apart so as to take the strip 72 when the presser foot is in the position shown in Fig. 3.

The separation of the two jaws is produced by the toe-piece on the heel of the presser-foot which by extending through the elongated slot or opening in the jaw a engages with the lower jaw as the presserfoot approaches the last portion of its down stroke and presses back the lower jaw and releases the stamp. The frame 22 carrying these parts is mounted on an upright post 3 above the stationary base 41, the flat top-surface of which furnishes a stationary bed to present the letter or other article to be stamped under the presser-foot. A post 3, on which is rigidly fixed the frame 2, is fitted to slide in an upright tubular guidesocket 7 that extends through the bottom 8 of the base 4, and extends also to a proper height above the bed 5 to afiord a long guide and support for the post. The lower end of the last-named piece rests on a flat spring 9 of suflicient strength to support the weight of the arts and hold the frame normally above tie top surface 5 and at a proper distance to give room between the bottom of the frame 2 and the bed 5 for inserting the letter or article to be stamped.

The pressure applied to the head 12 of the plunger has the effect to force the post 3 downward in its socket against the spring 9, and as that part yields to the pressure the bottom of the frame 2 comes down upon the letter in advance of the movement of the gripping-jaws. Those parts by their movement in an are from the center 39 draw the strip 79 from the roll p and bring the separated stamp into position. under the presser-foot (Z. WVhile the bed is stationary, the frame 2 is self-adjusting with reference to the surface 5 on which the envelop is to be placed, and letters or packages of Varying thickness, are readily admitted under the presser-foot and the swinging aws.

The tension device forming another feature in these improvements is designed to hold the strip of stamps stationary and with suflicient degree of tension at the moment when the stamp is being severed from the strip to insure the separation of the stamp from the strip always at the line of perforations, and afterward under a reduced tension; so that the strip will draw smoothly from the roll as the end is seizedand pulled by the jaws. It also permits the stamp strip to be pushed outward by the guide pins 35 when too much margin exists between the gripping jaws. The strip 29 is carried from the roll 1) forward between the stationary bed 13 of the frame just in front ofthe cutting blade 9 and the end of a hinged tensionplate 15. The plate 15 pivotally attached to the frame at 16 is pressed down by a spring 18 against the stationary bed 13, between which and the front end of the plate the strip is gripped when the spring 18 is allowed to act with its full force. At other times a lighter degree of tension is produced by the conjoint action of a springpressed pin 19 set in a socket in the bed 13 and held up against the plate 15 by a spring 20. By lightening the pressure of the plate 15 upon the head of the spring-pin the strip will draw smoothly between these parts without tearing at the lines of perforations, or when the tension plate is allowed to act with its greatest degree of pressure the spring-pin 19 will be depressed flush with the surface of the bed so that the strip is gripped between that surface and the end of the plate 15. The tension at such time should be sufiicient to cause the stamp to separate at the first line of perforations as the swinging jaws and the descending presser-foot bring the strip over the edge of the blade g. The strain thrown on the strip at such time is increased by the change in the direction of the strip produced by its being turned at a sharp angle over the edge of the blade by the downward movement of the jaws, which becomes sufficiently great to separate the stamp from the strip at the moment that the first line of perforations passes over or approaches the edge of the blade g. The tension on the strip at all other times is only such as is required to hold the end portion of the strip in position at rest, so as to be caught between the aws at the end of the next upward movement and before they begin to close. The pin 19 therefore comes into play for that purpose, and by following up the plate 15, as that part is raised, the pin exerts the required pressure on the strip to keep it in position. This change in the tension on the strip 79 is produced from the movements of the plunger by the cam 24 on the lever 21, the curved edge of which engages the projection 25 on the plate 15 and lifts that piece as the lever is raised.

The cam is so shaped and its movement is so timed with relation to the motion of the swinging-jaws that the tension of the strip is increased as the strip is turned over the edge of the blade perpendicularly by the change in the angular movement of the jaws; and while the stri will slip between the tension-plate and the stationary surface 13 under the pulling force of the jaws the separation of the stamp will be effected along the line of perforation as soon as the same in the progress of the strip reaches the edge of the blade. The separation on this weakest part of the margin between one stamp and the next is insured also by the peculiar shape of the blade 9, the edge of which is formed as shown in Fig. 5 with a leading curved projection g in the middle and the edge inclined or slanting therefrom backward in opposite directions to the sides 9 The effect of drawing the perforated strip over this form of blade is to cause the line of perforations to catch in the middle on the projection and to pull apart and separate in both directions or from the middle to the sides at the same time; thereby detaching every stamp on or through the perforated line. The blade g occupies'a position below the level of the tension-plate on a bench 26 formed on the frame, on which the blade is fixed. The distance from the front edge of the tension plate 15 to the cutting edge of the blade 9 is such that the stamp strip extending from the tension device after the stamp has been severed, is of a length sufficient to allow the proper margin to project between the gripping ends of the gripping jaws (e-b. In connection with this mechanism. for drawing the strip from the roll and separating a portion of definite length therefrom, a device controls the free end of the strip 72 so as to insure it being caught between the gripping aws under all movements of the mechanism, whether operating fast or slow. This device consists of a lifting-piece 29 located directly over the blade g or between it and the tension-device through which the strip is drawn, and having an angular movement in an upward direction beneath the strip to such an extent that the piece 2:) will raise the end of the strip and set it in the path of the grippingjaws whenever it tends to curl or turn down out of the path of the aws.

The form and operation of this lifting device will be readily understood from Figs. 3, t and 7. The hinged plate 29 is loosely pivoted at 30 at the back between the sides of the frame that extend above the cuttingblade and the outer end of the plate is movable in a vertical arc. And as the outer end of the strip 79 is capable of describing an are indicated by the line m Fig. 7, which lies within the are 2 described by the ends of the gripping aws in their movements on their axis, the free end of the strip overlying the plate 29 will be set in position to be caught between the two jaws as the upper one closes upon the lower one. The arm on one side of the plate 29 extending over and resting on the lever 21 raises and lowers the plate 29 in time to produce the desired effect on the strips. The width of the marginal portion seized between the jaws is regulated by gage-pins 35 secured to one jaw and working through apertures 36 in the opposite jaw as seen in Fig. 6. These pins act as a stop for the edge of the paper or strip as it is being inserted between the jaws, as seen in Fig. 3. In this construction. two pins are bent to a curve concentric with the axis of the jaws, and are fixed in the upper jaw back of the front edge, with their free ends extending through the apertures 36 in the lower jaw. The distance at which the back of these pins stand behind the outer edges of the jaws determines the width of the margin that will enter and be seized between the jaws, so that the same remains uniform for the entire length of the continuous strip. l vithout such means for gaging the material portion of the strip seized between the jaws, there would be more or less liability of encroaching On the body of the stamp or label in drawing off and detaching a considerable number from the same strip, and the line of separation would be gradually shifted from its proper location between one stamp and the next. Aside from the addition of these gage-pins to the gripping-jaws by which the width of the marginal edge of the strip is regulated, the gripping jaws do not differ materially in their construction and mode of operation from the same parts in my former patent already referred to. The two jaws ab are attached in the same manner by ahinge-joint to one end of a swinging frame composed of two arms 38 loosely fitted on a fixed crossrod 35) to swing in a vertical arc therefrom between the sides 2 of the frame. A spring 40 acting against the lower jaw from below holds the frame 88 normally raised and the jaws in an elevated position while the plunger stands at rest in its highest position. A spring 41 between the jaws presses them apart and holds them normally separated. in their position of greatest elevation the jaws are thus held open by the spring a1, and in this raised position they are held by the other spring 10 with the upper jaw a touching or in close relation to the presser-foot (Z and with the lower jaw held by the stop 48 on the frame 2 and lying below the free end of the strip extending out from the tensiondevice.

The stationary base i is constructed with a view to furnish the supporting surface for the letters or other like articles to which the stamps are to be afiixed, and also a reservoir 6 to contain water for keeping the stamp moistening device constantly wet. The moistening pad it consists of a strip of felt or other material set through a slit in the top of the base and in a casing 42, pivotally attached at 49 to the frame 2; the upper edge of the moistener lying directly below the blade 9. A spring 50 engaging the back of the casing and pressing it forward against a stop 51 in the frame 2 holds up the upper end of the moistener so that it will touch and apply moisture to the back of the stamp-strip as it passes down over the edge of the blade at a varying angle with the blade.

On account of varying thickness of the filled envelop, due to the mail matter therein, the pressure exerted by the foot in affixing the stamp varies as the thickness varies, and insufiicient pressure is applied to that part of the envelop wherein the thickness is least. To overcome this difliculty I have provided a circular concave depression 46 in the supporting surface 5 directly below the Presser-foot. The variations in thickness are taken up by the depression when the pressure is applied and an even surface is presented to which the stamp is efliciently afiixed, the pressure exerted on the stamp being approximately the same over its entire area.

I claim 2- 1. In mechanism for separating and affixing stamps or labels from a continuous strip, a stationary base, a bed thereon to support the article to which the stamps or labels are to be affixed, a vertically yielding frame, a spring holding said frame normally at a distance above the bed, a reciprocating plunger in said frame, a presser-foot carried thereby, oscillating gripping jaws operating to seize the strip and carry the same under and across the path of the presser-foot in ad- Vance of the movement of the latter, a tension-device, a stamp-severing device located between the tension-device and the grippingjaws, means controlled from the reciprocating plunger for periodically varying the action of said tension-device on the strip, and means for setting the loose end of the strip within the path of the gripping aws.

2. In a machine for separating and aflixing stamps or labels from a continuous strip, the combination of a stationary base, a bed thereon to support the article to be stamped or labeled, a water reservoir beneath the bed, a frame supported on said base, a vertically reciprocating plunger in said frame, a resser-foot carried thereby, means for drawing the strip under and across the path of the presser-foot, a tension device, a stamp severing device attached to said frame and against which the strip is drawn to separate the stamp or label, means for periodically varying the action of the tension-device on the strip in the movements of the presser-foot and a moistening-device located in the path of the strip and extending into the Water-reservoir in the base.

3. The combination with the reciprocating plunger, the p'resser-foot carried thereby, and the oscillating gripping-jaws; of the stationary tensionbed, a spring-pin therein, a yielding tension-plate bearing upon the pin, and means actuated from the movements of the plunger for reducing the pressure of the yielding-plate on the spring-pin.

4. In a machine for separating and afiixing stamps or labels from a continuous strip, the combination of a frame, a vertically movable plunger, a presserfoot carried thereby, a reel, means operated by the plunger for drawing the strip from the reel and carrying it under the presser-foot, a severing-device, a tension-device located between the reel and the severing-device, a moistening-device located between the severing-device and the presser-foot, a stationary base, a bed thereon to support the letters to be stamped, and a yielding support for the frame adapted to hold the same normally clear of the bed.

5. In a machine for separating and affixing stamps or labels from a continuous strip, the combination of a stationary base having a bed to support the article to which the stamp or label is to be affixed, a vertically movable frame, a guide therefor on the base, a reciprocating plunger mounted in said frame, a presser-foot actuated by the plunger, gripping-jaws having oscillating movement from a center situated to one side of the line of the plunger and adapted by such movement to seize the strip and draw it under the presser-foot in advance of the movement of the latter part, means for producing tension on the strip, means actuated by the plunger to periodically vary such tension, a severing device located between the presserfoot and the tension-producing means, and means for controlling the loose end of the strip and presenting it in the path of the grippingaws.

G. The combination of a vertically movable plunger, a presser-foot carried thereby, a swinging-frame having movement in a vertical are from a pivotal point situated to one side of the'path of the presser-foot, a pair of gripping jaws pivoted to said frame and guided thereby in a curved path across the travel of the presser-foot, a spring holding said jaws in operative relation to the presser-foo-t to be closed by the downward movement of said foot, and the curved gagepins rigidly fixed in one jaw and passing through slots in the other jaw.

7. The combination with a reciprocating presser and gripping-jaws having movement in a Vertical arc with reference to said presser, of a cutting-device, and means for periodically gripping and releasing the varying the pressure of said plate on the strip, comprising the stationary becl over strip. which the strip is drawn, the yielding-pin JOHN J. MGDADE. in said bed, the spring-pressed plate helcl- \Vitnesses:

H. G. PROST,

ing the strip against the pin, and means 0p- M. REGNER.

ei'atecl in time with the gripping-jaws for v Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

